No Longer a Mutt
by kissing flames
Summary: The Capitol's mutt. The Capitol's plaything. The Capitol's monster. The Capitol's amusement. The Capitol's entertainment. The Capitol's mutt. And I realise it, just when I'm about to die. Great.


_Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games_

* * *

_Run faster!_ I order myself,_ Keep running!_

Mutations. Mutts. Ready to kill me, just a day or two after I'd killed the boy from District 11. It'd been hard.

He was tough. We - The Careers - had offered him a place in our group, but he'd declined the invitation. That had been surprising, but at the same time, not very surprising. I guess that the death hadn't been entertaining enough, and now, the Gamemakers wanted to end another life.

I can't say that I was surprised.

In District 2, we may be the lapdogs of the Capitol, but that didn't mean that we hated the Gamemakers any less; we just learnt to get over it and train - we couldn't do anything about it, meaning there was no point in rebelling or feeling sorry for ourselves. So we pushed the thoughts away, gotten rid of emotions when training to kill and convinced ourselves it was alright to kill, if it meant to survive, and there was pride in volunteering. I guess that was a form of brainwashing. Pretty effective; look at what I'd thought when 'The Girl on Fire' scored better than me.

Okay, maybe I still would have been annoyed if they hadn't brainwashed us, but really, a _girl_ from _District 12_ no less, beating _me_, a _boy_ from _District 2. _

Humiliating.

These thoughts run through me, in less than a few moments, as out of instinct I crash through trees, jump over boulders, do anything to try and get away from the mutts.

They look horrible and when the other had appeared, I immediately grabbed my spear and ran for it. Faster and faster, for longer and longer.

Once, a mutt had almost gotten to me. I was thankful that I'd thought of making the loose form of armour beforehand; it had originally been to protect myself against the arrows from Everdeen, but now, it was in handy to keep the mutts away, for at least a short amount of time; they hadn't been expecting it the first time.

* * *

_Running, running, running._

* * *

At some point, I looked behind for a second, and threw my spear. I don't know when, but it didn't do much. One got knocked away for a second, then it rejoined the pack. Cursing, I continued to run. That's when I heard the cannon.

Someone had died. Hopefully it was Everdeen or Lover Boy. It was annoying how he had managed to survive, even though I had cut him in a place where he should have died ages ago. I can't help but wonder how he survived long enough for Everdeen to find him and help him recover. Of course, the medicine she got probably helped.

The woods were getting denser and denser, it was getting harder and harder to stay ahead of the mutts. I kept running though; I would not let them get to me, even though I was getting more and more tired.

Birds are singing somewhere, I can distinctly hear them, but right now, it doesn't matter at all.

I crashed through some trees, panting badly, desperate to get some air, before seeing Everdeen and Lover Boy, both on their feet, her ready to shoot, him holding his knife tightly.

I ignore them, but still run straight towards them, an idea of a place I could run to, forming in my mind.

Hopefully, I'm headed in the right direction.

I see an arrow hit my chest, but I don't feel it; the armour would have worked if not for the stupid mutts.

Great to know that now.

Everdeen shouts something to Lover Boy; I don't concentrate on what she's saying; I just want to stay alive.

I run straight past them, something I'm sure they weren't expecting that.

* * *

_Running, running, running._

* * *

I see the Cornucopia and feel determination surge through me. I speed up, knowing that I can get there in time, that I can out run the mutts.

My hands hit the burning metal before I realise it and I manage to climb up, without thinking of what I'm doing or how the heat of the metal is causing blisters on my hands, only the thought of getting away from the mutts in my head.

As soon as a I reach the horn of the Cornucopia, I collapse, exhausted from the running, trying to get my breath back. Air doesn't seem to be reaching my lungs, and I desperately take deeper breaths.

I see Lover Boy running from the mutts. He's not doing very well, stumbling at times, probably because of the cut I made; I can't say I regret it at all. I'm trying to stay alive and I'll try and stay alive until I take my last breath. I. Will. Become. Victor.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Everdeen is climbing up the horn. She stops in the middle and aims an arrow at me.

_This is it,_ I think,_ She's going to kill me._

I try to get to my feet, but find I can't. Not yet. I'm going to die after all.

It's a horrible thought. People say you can see your life flashing before you before you die. That's not true. You only see what's going to kill you and who it is, and you know that's the last thing you'll ever see. And the last thing you'll ever feel is pain. The very last feeling is pain.

I wait, staring at the metal. And wait. And wait for the arrow to hit me. It never does.

I look up, wondering what's taking so long, even though its probably only been a few seconds.

"Climb!" Everdeen yells, talking to Lover Boy.

She hasn't killed me. I'm relieved.

My stomach's now hurting from the metal and how winded I am after the run.

I slowly get up and see that Lover Boy's climbing with Everdeen trying to help him. She shoots a mutt down before grabbing his arm and pulling them up.

A thought occurs to me; a scary, horrible, disastrous thought.

"Can they climb?" I try to say, but it can barely be heard. I try again, and repeat the question. It's better than before; at least it can be heard through the coughs.

"What?" Everdeen calls, but I can't answer. I'm angry at myself for being so weak. I should have expected something like this to happen.

_Weak._

_Stupid._

_Hot-headed._

Three words I'd heard all my life.

Lover Boy and Everdeen are fighting the mutts now and talking. I don't concentrate on them; there's no point. What I need to do is kill Lover Boy. Once he's gone, it'll be easier to kill Everdeen. Then I can go home at last...

Lover Boy almost goes over the edge due to a mutt, and I check my breathing. It's getting slower. That's a good sign.

I watch as Everdeen aims an arrow at me, but then at a mutt.

Quickly, I get up and grab Lover Boy. Before he can react, I make sure I have him in a headlock, then remember that I'm now at the lip of the horn. For a second, I panic, before relaxing. If she shoots me, then he goes down with me.

Lover Boy's pathetically trying to get my arm away, so he can breathe, and I can see why he's not trying a minute later; his wound's reopened. Either I'm going to kill him by cutting off his air, Everdeen's going to kill us by pushing us both off or I'm going to kill him due to the cut I made. Either way, he hasn't got long to live, and I can pretty much smell the triumph; Everdeen isn't going to be able to risk shooting at us, even if she is pointing an arrow at me.

"Shoot me and he goes down with me," I laugh, so obviously happy that this will soon be over and I'll soon be home, a victor.

She's tense and glaring at me. I just smile back triumphantly. He's dying. I can tell by how much weaker his attempts are.

_From here on, it's going to be easy,_ I think.

That's when I realise he's drawing a X on the back of my hand with his bloody fingers. It's too late though. My smile is replaced by a look of horror and I yell in pain. Immediately, out of reflex, I release Lover Boy, and he slams into me.

I feel myself falling as soon as I slip on the horn which is covered in blood, and know that the mutts are going to be on me. At least I have my sword and armour. For a second, I'm almost gleeful as I see Lover Boy starting to fall as well, but then Everdeen grabs him and pulls him up.

I don't even get to curse before I hit the ground.

The wind's knocked out of me again, and I feel panic arising. I allow it to show on my face for once.

The mutts pounce, but out of pure willpower to stay alive, I'm on my feet and begin to fight them, ignoring the pain in my hand.

I pull out my sword and swing it, which causes the mutts to snarl and move away for a second, but the next moment, they're all on me. I slash, hack and stab the mutts, knowing the armour will help me, but not for long. I'm still determined to win though. I can survive this attack... I can survive... I can... no, that's wrong. It's '_Can I_ survive this attack, and if so_ for how long_?'

As I keep fighting, blood drenching my clothes and part of my armour ripped off, the mutts still attacking, as strong as ever while I'm getting weaker and weaker, I realise something I hadn't even considered thinking about before. There are numbers on their collars. 2 of all numbers from 1-11 apart from 2. I see the mutt that has the number 2 on it's collar and immediately feel sick. The colour of her - no it's - eyes are the exact same shade as hers. It's hair colour is the exactly the same as well. How did I not realise it before?

It's Clove. All the mutts are tributes.

I can see her laughing, before the games.

The one moment of weakness is the only advantage they need. I get slammed against the Cornucopia and my knees give way. My armour's completely ripped off and the claws and teeth of the mutts dig into me.

It's pain as I've never experienced it.

Everywhere hurts, everywhere is being attacked; the mutts are eager to get the blood they've been waiting so long for. I try to fight it, but exhaustion and blood loss are wearing me out. I just want this to end... the pain, it's indescribable. I feel like I'm being ripped into two, shredded, stabbed repeatedly, bitten and tortured all at the same time... and I'm still not dying.

I let out a scream as one mutt attacks one my eyes. Blood splashes over my left eye, and the pain from the right eye is excruciating. Then, there doesn't seem to be a right eye. I can't feel anything in the socket. Another scream escapes me. The blood's just pouring out but I'm not dead...

... and that's the worst part. I'm not dead. If I died, I'd be happy right now, because the injuries I'm getting... they're never going to be cured.

I can hear myself calling out for someone to end this, even whimpering to myself, but it's not happening.

At night, the temperature plummets but I can't move. The mutts have finally gotten bored of their source, perhaps knowing that it'll die soon and be useless to them. Or maybe the Capitol is taking revenge on me for something.

I know I'm going to die. For certain this time. Before, it had been a pity to die; now it was a luxury

People say you can see your life flashing before you before you die. That's still not true. You don't see anything but your family. You regret everything you never did. You see who or what's going to kill you or killing you and wonder, do they have a single feeling of remorse? But then you think about when you killed people. Did you have any remorse then? For me, the answer's no.

It's like the world's crashed down on top of me. I am a murderer. A plaything of the Capitol. It's people like me that allow the Hunger Games to succeed. I realise exactly what I am. A monster. A monster created by the Capitol.

_I am a monster._

_Created by the Capitol._

_A mutt. _

_A mutt of the Capitol._

**The Capitol's mutt. The Capitol's plaything. The Capitol's monster. The Capitol's amusement. The Capitol's entertainment. The Capitol's mutt.**

Now I realise it.

They run through my head, repeatedly, as I beg to the mutts and air to kill me now. To get it over with.

In the distance I can hear Katniss yelling Peeta's name.

I look at the Cornucopia and see myself, reflected on the metal by the moonlight. Covered in blood, parts of my flesh are ripped off. My legs are both at an odd angle and there are bite and claw marks all over me.

I feel drowsy, and am almost excited, thinking this is it - that though I feel sad that I have to leave my family behind, this pain will be over. The only two things I will ever regret are: a) Letting the Capitol use me and turn me into something I should have never become - a mutt - and b)... that I will not be able to have my revenge. Somehow, just somehow though... I know that I can leave that to Katniss and Peeta.

The moonlight looks beautiful. I'd never really appreciated it before, but now I can see the beauty of it. I can see hardly any, but whatever I can see is enough.

Then a shadow appears. A person with a bow and arrow. Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire.

"Please," I whisper, "Please..."

I think she understands because she certainly can't hear me.

Because when I see that arrow flying down, I smile, and use my last seconds to watch the moon and think, I am free from the Capitol. I am no longer a mutt. I can be myself just before death...

_I'm no longer a mutt._

* * *

_Is that good? I wanted to put Cato in a not-so-bad light... I don't think he's that bad... he's just been brought up differently._

_Hopefully there aren't many mistakes..._

_Read, review and tell me if it's good or not?_

_Oh, and I didn't put too much description on the pain... don't want to scar anyone... unless you want me to make another one-shot with plenty of gory description..._

~A. S. Ledie~


End file.
